Is the Blackjack 256 still the top Bay Boat on the Market

In that price range, yes

Closely followed by pathfinder only due to ride quality

American Aluminum 28 is king

Budget is extremely important, you could spend $300,000 on a ‘bay boat’ these days.

American aluminum 28 is a different price range.

Yeah “bay boat” is a very loose term now.

A lot of quality brands out there. You really need to lay down a budget as it can get about as high as you can imagine. I wouldn’t call any of the mass produced boats the “best” but there are a lot of good ones.

Then decide what you will use the boat for 90% of the time. Will it be be mostly fishing or just cruising? Do you want to be inside the boat or on top of the boat? What’s more important, rough water capability or shallow draft capability?

I dunno. My neighbor has a BJ with a 450R and it does over 70. Not sure about in rough seas though.

quote:

---

I dunno. My neighbor has a BJ with a 450R and it does over 70

---

Put that 450R on a PF 26 HPS and it will walk away from the BJ.

That being said, speed is not even in the top 5 reasons to decide on a 26 hybrid style boat like the ones mentioned.

quote:

---

26 pathfinder will run away from the blackjack in any kind of sea.

---

Lol, no it won't. They have similar deadrise, weight, Keel length, and entry angles. Both are going to equally suck in any kind of sea. They are both big bay boats but they are still bay boats.

Ive never riden a 26 pathfinder. I have fished a 256 bay on a snotty day, and no other bay boat is going to run away from that thing in snot. It's a great ride for such a light bay boat, and it's fast. Maybe a 26 pathfinder is a hair faster, but it's also much more expensive last I checked, I don't see what all the extra money gets you.

Eta: i did run back in to camanada pass on a 2' day with a crosswind in a kenner 23v with a 26 pathfinder within a few miles of me the whole way. If he could have ran away from me, he certainly wasn't interested in actually doing it. We were both working hard to stay dry.

quote:

---

What are ya'lls thoughts on the 2420 Blazer bays or the Sportsman 247?

---

Of those 2, I prefer the Sportsman. But those are really opposing styles of bay boats. I really like the Sportsman as an overall bay boat. I like the fit, finish, and layout on the sportsman. I prefer to have a raised toe kick rail of some sort on a bay boat and the 2420 Blazer does not have one. The sportsman is also a bit heavier.

Above all I like the bilge access and access inside of the larger console on the sportsman. Sportsman takes this category by a mile. No standing on your head or becoming a contortionist when it’s time to change a pump or do some maintenance.

quote:

---

My point is, yes bigger is better if you are routinely running offshore. But if you are routinely just taking your family, have a 1-2 hour+ trip to the ramp, and routinely fishing the marsh and truly inshore than I'd hesitate before buying something over 24 ft.

---

Agreed. And there is a good market for used Blackjack 224's.

And to the posters above...A 26 Pathfinder will not run away from 256. Both good boats, but both very similar. I've chased tarpon in FL on a Pathfinder 26 and caught snapper in LA on a Blackjack 256. Very comparable boats.

Blazer bay 2420 is good bay boat,but if you can find Blazer 2400, it is same hull as Kenner23. Great hull and boat.

quote:

---

Blazer 2400, it is same hull as Kenner23

---

As much as I love the 23v kenner, it's a fishing boat. The layout is great for killing fish and not much else. If the price for a 2400 was what it should be (way cheaper than a 3 piece boat) than I'd say yea, great choice. For what blazer sells the 2400 for, id get a more modern 3 piece boat that has better seating for boat riding the women around.

That said, the wide open rolled gunnel layout is absolute tits for mangroves.